Amos 8:6

Amos 8:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
• New International Version (NIV)buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.
• English Standard Version (ESV)that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?"
• New Living Translation (NLT)And you mix the grain you sell with chaff swept from the floor. Then you enslave poor people for one piece of silver or a pair of sandals.

Context of Amos 8:6

4Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail, 5Saying: “When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit, That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of sandals— Even sell the bad wheat?” 7The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: “Surely I will never forget any of their works. 8Shall the land not tremble for this, And everyone mourn who dwells in it? All of it shall swell like the River, Heave and subside Like the River of Egypt.

Amos 8:6 word by word

לִקְנ֤וֹת בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּעֲב֣וּר נַעֲלָ֑יִם וּמַפַּ֥ל בַּ֖ר נַשְׁבִּֽיר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That we may buyקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
• for silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• and the needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• for a pair of shoesנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
• and sellשָׁבַרshâbar · to buy grainH7666
• the refuseמַפָּלmappâl · refuseH4651
• of the wheatבַּרbâr bar · grainH1250

Cross-references for Amos 8:6

• Amos 8:4Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail,
• Amos 2:6Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of sandals.
• Leviticus 25:39‘And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.
• Nehemiah 5:1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren.
• Joel 3:3They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.

Commentaries on Amos 8:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6That we may buy the poor for silver - Buying their services for such a time, with just money enough to clear them from other creditors. And the needy for a pair of shoes - See Amos 2:6. And sell the refuse of the wheat! - Selling bad wheat and damaged flour to poor people as good, knowing that such cannot afford to prosecute them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6That we may buy - Or, indignantly, “To buy the poor!” literally, “the afflicted,” those in “low” estate. First, by dishonesty and oppression they gained their lands and goods. Then the poor were obliged to sell themselves. The slight price, for which a man was sold, showed the more contempt for “the image of God.” Before, he said, “the needy” were “sold for a pair of sandals” Amos 2:6; here, that they were bought for them. It seems then the more likely…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The rich and powerful of the land were the most guilty of oppression, as well as the foremost in idolatry. They were weary of the restraints of the sabbaths and the new moons, and wished them over, because no common work might be done therein. This is the character of many who are called Christians. The sabbath day and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts. It will either be profaned or be accounted a dull day. But can we spend our time…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-14This section provides more details on the accusations and decisions mentioned earlier (read with Amos 2:6–6:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. buy ... poor for silver ... pair of shoes--that is, that we may compel the needy for money, or any other thing of however little worth, to sell themselves to us as bondmen, in defiance of Le 25:39; the very thing which brings down God's judgment (Am 2:6). sell the refuse of ... wheat--which contains no nutriment, but which the poor eat at a low price, being unable to pay for flour.Read the comment

Topics related to Amos 8:6

• Oppression
• Poor
• Servant
• Shoe
• Silver

In the dictionaries

• Amos (1)
• Calf, Golden
• Flake
• Jeroboam
• Poverty
• Shoe; Shoe-Latchet
• Wheat

Commentaries on Amos 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings